Filing-case drawer suspension



Mag. 8, 1923.

v 1,454,494 A. N1 THOMAS FILING CASE DRAWER SUSPENSION Filed March 4, 19 22 aka-Amt;

ABVINE N. THOMAS, OF CANTON, OHIO.

FILING-CASE naawnn SUSPENSION.

Application filed March 4, 1922. Serial No. 540,984.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, Anvmn N. Tnoms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Filing-Case Drawer Suspension, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metal filing cabinets and more'especially to a drawer suspension for use in this class of devices, the object bein to construct a drawer suspension, the antiriction balls and rollers of which are arranged to at all times receive the weight of the drawer and contents, regardless of the position of the said drawer.

Another object is the construction of a suspension that will permit the drawer to be quickly and easily removed from the case, if desired, no tools being necessary to release the drawer from the suspension;

A still further object is the general improvement and simplification of this class of devices.

In the drawing;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a filing cabinet with my improved drawer suspension shown therein, a part of the side wall of the cabinet being broken awa to disclose the interior.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the drawer suspension removed from the cabinet.

' Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of one of the permanent members which are secured to the inner side of the cabinet.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section thru one side of the suspension showing a portion of the cabinet wall and the drawer.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of a drawer, and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of one of the leather blocks which acts as a stop. and bumper for the suspension.

At 1 is indicated the filing cabinet which may be of the usual construction and designed to receive the ordinary sheet metal drawers 2. Secured to the inner face of.

each of the side walls of the cabinet, referably by spot welding, is a horizonta bar 4, which bar is substantially in line with the bottom of its res ective drawer. Adj acent the forward on of each of the bars 4 is secured an inwardly projecting shaft 5 which has rotatably mounted a roller 6. A collar 7 is also carried h each shaft and'is designed to space the a jacent roller away from the face of the bar 4 by which it is carried. Rearwardly of each of the rollers 6 and in horizontal alinement therewith, is a similar roller 8 which is mounted to rotate on a shaft 9, secured to the bar 4.

The sliding suspension is formed of sheet metal, its side members, generally indicated at 10 and 11, being similar in all details with the exception that each is the reverse of the other, and since a description of either will apply to both, only one of the said side members will be herein described. The upper portion of the side member is made in the form of a channel 12, the lower, horizontal portion 14 of which is designed to engage the tops of the rollers 6 and 8. Intermediate the extremities of the channel 12 is secured an L-shaped piece '15, 'one arm of which extends laterally across the channel 12 and blocks the passage therethrough.

The horizontal portion 14 of the channel extends rearwardly beyond the vertical and upper horizontal portions thereof and dependingfrom the inner edge of the said portion 14 for its entire length, is a vertical portion 16 which extends to a point below the bottoms of the rollers 6 and 8 and is then bent inwardly and upwardly, forming a second channel 17. Secured to the outer side of the wall 16 is a horizontal rib 18 which is designed to engage the bottoms of the rollers 6 and 8 as best shown in Fig. 4.

Secured to either side of the rear end of the drawer 2 is an outwardly extending pin 19 upon which is rotatably mounted a roller 20. The said roller is positioned to lie within the channel 12 as shown in Fig. 4, the said channel being slightly higher than the diameter of the roller.

In the lower or horizontal portion of the channel 17, intermediate its ends, is formed an aperture 21 and thru the inner vertical wall of the said channel and the lower part of "the wall 16, is secured a pin 22 upon which is rotatably mounted a roller 24, the bottom of which rides on the horizontal partition sheet 25 which forms the bottom of the drawer compartment. As seen in 2, the forward extremity of the channel 17 is closed as at 26 and a ball bearing 27 lies within the channel and extends slightly above the inner vertical wall thereof. A horizontal flange 28 extends inwardly from the inner vertical portion of the channel 17 Fig.

and secured to the forward extremity of the I I than the flange and extending part way over the tops of the channels 12 as just described.

the said channel. The ball 27 will be free to move within the channel but may notbe displaced therefrom because of the plate 29. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the top of the ball and the top of the roller 24 are in the same horizontal plane and upon these rests the bottom of the drawer 2.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 6, near the rear extremity of the portion 14 is formed a small aperture 30 and in direct Vertical alinement beneath the said aperture, in the rib 18, is formed a similar aperture. A

sheet metal cli 31, within which is secured a block of leat er or similar material 32, is fitted between the portion 14 and the rib 18 and a cotter pin 34 passing thru the apertures just mentioned and a vertical aperture in the block 32, securesthe said block in position.

The usual adjusting bar 35 is riveted, spot welded or otherwise secured at each of its extremities to one of the channels 17 and.

serves to space the side members of the suspension the desired distance apart.

Whenthe parts'of my device have been assembled in the positions above described and the drawer entirely closed, the rollers 20, will be at the extreme rear end of the channel 12. As the drawer moves forwardly in opening, it rides upon the balls 27 and the rollers 24, and, since the said rollers are in contact at the bottom with the partition sheet 25, the suspension will also move forwardly but at only half the s eed of the drawer. As will be'remembere the lower portions 14 of the channels ride upon the tops of the. rollers 6' and 8, thereby causing the suspension to move forward smoothly, the rollers 24 serving in the capacity of traction or propelling wheels' When the drawer has been opened to the point where its center of gravity is forward of the rollers 24, the tendency of the said drawer will be to tilt downwardly in front and upwardly at the rear but this tendency is overcome by the engagement of therollers 20 with the upper portion of the channels 12. The ribs 18 on the suspension members-engaging the bottoms of the rollers -6 and 8 prevent the said suspension membersfrom tilting downwardly at their forward ends when the rollers 20 press upwardly against When the rollers 20 have been moved forward in the channels 12 until they contact with the stops 15, the said stops will be approximately in line with the front of the filing case, and since the said rollers are at the rear end of the drawer, the said drawer will therefore be fully opened. Simultaneously with the engagement of the rollers 20 with the stops 15, the blocks 32 will engage the rollers 8, thus preventing the suspension from moving forward any further.

Should it be desired at any time to entirelyremove the drawer and suspension from the filin case, the drawer will be pulled forwar in the usual manner to its full extent. The forward ends of the suspension will then be held stationary and the drawer pushed half way shut, at which time the rollers 20 will be beyond the rear of the u per portion of the channel 12. B tiltingt e front of the drawer downward its rear end will be elevated until the rol ers 20 are above the channel 12, and the drawer may then be lifted from the suspension. This will permit entrance to be had into the drawer compartment and access to the pins 34, which when removed, will allow the blocks 32 to be dis laced and the suspension removed from t e easel,

Having now described my invention, what I claim is;

ing said rollers, an upper channel and a lower channel formedon each member of said suspension, a drawer slidably mounted between said suspension member's, rollers carried by said drawer and arranged to move through said upper channels, a stop located in each of said upper channels and positioned to limit the forward movement of said last mentioned rollers therethrough, a partition sheet beneath said bars and rollers carried by the suspension members and enaging the under surface of the drawer and t e upper surface of the partition sheet.

'2. A filing cabinet having rollers journalled upon its inner side walls, suspension members including, upper, intermediate and lower channels, the intermediate channels receiving said rollers, a drawer slidably mounted between said suspension members, rollers carried upon the rear portion of the drawer and received in the upper channels, a partition sheet beneath .t drawer and rollers located in the lower'ac annels and engaging the drawer and partition sheet.

3. The combination with a filing cabinet of a slidable suspension therein, an upper channel formed on each member of gaid.

suspension, a drawer slidably mounted alietween said suspension members, oppositely extending pins secured to the rear extremitychannel formed upon the upper portion of" each of said members, a drawer slidably mounted between said members, rollers carried by said drawer and arranged within said channels, the upper ortion of each of said channels being cut away at one point and designed to permit the said rollers to be removed from said channels, whereby said drawer is removable from the suspension,

a partition sheet beneath the drawer and rollers carried by theslidable members and enga ing the under surface of the drawer and t e upper surface of the partition sheet.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ARVINE N. THOMAS. 

